Storage Pouch

ABSTRACT

A protective storage pouch is provided. The storage pouch includes a flexible fabric member including a pocket along a lower end for receiving items therein. The fabric member includes flexible regions that enable the fabric member to fold completely around an item inserted into the pocket, enclosing it therein. A flexible fastening tether affixed to a rear of the pocket enables the pocket to be secured in a folded configuration around the item, thereby providing it constant protection. The fastening tether includes a length greater than the length of the fabric member for facilitating the fastening of the same around the fabric member. In one embodiment, the fabric member includes a pair of quilted fabrics connected by stitching for preventing unraveling of the fabric and providing a more durable and protective storage pouch.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/286,677 filed on Jan. 25, 2016. The above identified patentapplication is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety toprovide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to pouches. More specifically, the presentinvention relates to a storage pouch configured to receive and storeornaments therein.

Many individuals utilize ornaments for decorative purposes. Someornaments can be very fragile and easily broken. Such ornaments areoften stored in bubble wrap, towels, newspapers, tissue, or other typesof protective coverings in order to preserve the integrity of theornament. One drawback to these types of protective coverings, however,is that they are bulky and can lead to a cluttered, unorganized storagespace. Moreover, these protective coverings do not include a way inwhich to secure the ornament therein. Indeed, these coverings are proneto becoming loose and exposing the ornament, thereby increasing thechance in which they may break. Another drawback is that more fragileornaments may not be adequately protected by some of these coverings asthey are naturally thin, thus increasing the likelihood that the storedwill break.

The use of a protective coverings for various different delicate itemsis known in the art. More specifically, protective pouches heretoforedevised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar,expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding themyriad of designs encompassed by the crowded art which have beendeveloped for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.

While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives andrequirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a flexiblestorage pouch that includes a pocket configured to receive ornamentstherein and a tether for securing the pouch around the ornament, therebyproviding protective covering that protects ornaments from breaking.

In these respects, the storage pouch according to the present inventionsubstantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of theprior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed forthe purpose of providing a storage pouch capable of protectively storingand housing various ornaments or other delicate items therein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types ofpouches now present in the known art, the present invention provides astorage pouch wherein the same can be utilized for providing conveniencefor the user when storing ornaments or other delicate items. The presentinvention comprises a planar member including an upper end, a lower end,and a pair of opposing sides, conjunctively defining an upper surface, arear surface, a first region, a second region, and a central region. Thefirst region, the second region, and the central region extend along thelongitudinal length of the planar member. The first region and thesecond region are configured to fold radially inwardly onto the centralregion into a folded configuration. A pocket disposed on the lower endof the planar member extends widthwise relative to a longitudinal axisof the planar member and linearly from one side to the opposing side.The pocket includes a perimeter edge that defines an opening forproviding access to an interior volume configured to receive an itemtherein. The pocket is positioned parallel relative to the upper end andincludes an area and height less than the area and height of the planarmember. A fastening tether is disposed on an upper portion of the rearsurface and is positioned parallel relative to the pair of opposingsides of the planar member. The fastening tether is composed of aunitary piece of flexible material that includes a longitudinal lengthgreater than the longitudinal length of the planar member and a widthless than the width of the planar member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will beparticularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and mannerin which it may be made and used may be better understood after a reviewof the following description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a front perspective view of the storage pouch in an openconfiguration.

FIG. 2 shows a rear perspective view of the storage pouch in an openconfiguration.

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the planar member of the storage pouchaccording to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the planar member of the storagepouch in a folded configuration.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the planar member of the storagepouch in a semi-closed configuration.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective of the planar member of the storage pouch ina closed and fastened configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like referencenumerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similarelements of the storage pouch. The figures are intended forrepresentative purposes only and should not be considered to be limitingin any respect.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a front and rearperspective view of the storage pouch, respectively. The storage pouch10 comprises a planar member 15 including a pocket 20 for receivingdelicate items therein, such as ornaments, and a fastening tether 25 forsecuring the planar member 15 around an item therein. The planar member15 is composed of a flexible fabric, such as linen, cotton, orpolyester. In the depicted embodiment, the planar member 15 isrectangular and is composed of a quilted fabric for providing cushion tothe storage pouch 10. The planar member 15 includes an upper end 30, alower end 35, and a pair of opposing sides 40 defining a front surface45 and a rear surface 50. The front surface 45 includes an areaconfigured to receive an item thereon. The upper end 30 and the pair ofopposing sides 40 include a hemmed edge 55 for preventing unraveling ofthe fabric of the planar member 15 and forming a more durable storagepouch 10.

The planar member 15 further defines a first region 46 and a secondregion 47 configured to fold radially inward onto a central region 48 ofthe planar member 15, such that the storage pouch 10 may fold around anitem inserted into the pocket 20 and subsequently fold into a closedconfiguration. In the depicted embodiment, the regions 46, 47, 48 aredivided into even thirds along the longitudinal length of the planarmember 15, such that they include equal areas. The regions 46, 47, and48 are demarcated by dashed lines 52.

The pocket 20 is disposed along the lower end 35 of the planar member15. The pocket 20 is stitched to the pair of opposing sides 40 andextends linearly along the lower end 35 and over the front surface 45.The pocket 20 includes a perimeter edge 60 that extends the entirelength of the pocket 20 and is positioned parallel relative to thehemmed edge 55 of the upper end 30. The pocket 20 defines an opening 65positioned between the perimeter edge 60 and the front surface 45 of theplanar member 15. The opening 65 provides access to an interior volumesized to receive delicate items, such as ornaments, therein. The pocket20 includes an area that is less than the area of the front surface 45,such that it extends only partially over the front surface 45 andincludes a height less than a height of the planar member 15. When itemsare inserted into the pocket 20 the items rest on the upper surface 45and are held thereagainst via the pocket 20. In the depicted embodiment,the pocket 20 is rectangular and includes a height that is less thanhalf the height of the planar member 15, such that the pocket 20 ispositioned below a central, widthwise axis of the planar member 15.

The fastening tether 25 is disposed on a center of an upper portion 75the rear surface 50 of the planar member 15. The fastening tether 25 ispivotally affixed to the upper portion via a rivet 80. In the depictedembodiment, the rivet 80 comprises a circular brass rivet. The fasteningtether 25 includes a single, unitary piece of fabric composed of aflexible material, such as silk, cotton, or a synthetic blend, such aspolyester, nylon, and polyproylene. The fastening tether 25 includes afirst end 85 and a second end 90 and includes a length equal to orgreater than the longitudinal length of the planar member 15 and a widthless than the width of the planar member 15. In the depicted embodiment,the fastening band 25 comprises a ribbon. The fastening tether 25extends longitudinally along the longitudinal length of the planarmember 15 and is positioned parallel relative to the pair of opposingsides 40. In the depicted embodiment, the first end 85 protrudesradially outwardly from the upper end 30 of the planar member 15, suchthat the first end 85 extends past the upper end 30, while the secondend 90 rests on the rear surface 50 adjacent to the lower end 35, suchthat it does not extend past the lower end 35 of the planar member 15.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown an exploded view of the planarmember of the storage pouch according to one embodiment of the presentinvention. In an alternative embodiment, the planar member 15 comprisesa pair of quilted fabric members stitched together via an overlockstitch, such that the planar member 15 forms a double-quilted pouch foradded cushion. A first fabric member 100 having a perimeter edge 105 anda second fabric member 110 have a perimeter edge 115 are aligned andattached at their perimeter edges 105, 115, such that they form therectangular planar member 15. Each of the fabric members 100, 110 iscomposed of a flexible fabric, such as linen, cotton, or polyester.

Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, there is shown a view of the storage pouchin a folded configuration, semi-closed configuration, and closed andfastened configuration, respectively, around an ornament. The storagepouch 10 is configured to receive an ornament or delicate item thereinand completely enclose the item within a center thereof. In oneoperation of the present invention, a user inserts an ornament 12 intothe pocket 20 such that it rests centrally on the upper surface andcentral region of the planar member 15, as shown in FIG. 1. Next, theuser then folds the first region 46 and second region 47 onto thecentral region, thereby positioning the planar member 15 into a foldedconfiguration around the ornament.

Next, the user folds the lower end 35 of the planar member 15 radiallyinwards along a longitudinal length of the central region towards theupper end 30 of the planar member 15, until the planar member 15 isfully folded around the ornament 12 in a closed configuration. Oncefolded, a user wraps the fastening tether 25 around the folded planarmember 15, such that its ends may be tied to secure the planar member 15around the ornament 12 in a fastened configuration.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown anddescribed in various embodiments. It is recognized, however, thatdepartures may be made within the scope of the invention and thatobvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. Withrespect to the above description then, it is to be realized that theoptimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, toinclude variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and mannerof operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obviousto one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to thoseillustrated in the drawings and described in the specification areintended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of theinvention.

I claim: 1) A storage pouch, comprising: a planar member including aflexible material, the planar member including an upper end, a lowerend, and a pair of opposing sides, conjunctively defining an uppersurface, a rear surface, a first region, a second region, and a centralregion; the first region, the second region, and the central regionextending along the longitudinal length of the planar member; the firstregion and the second region configured to fold radially inwardly ontothe central region into a folded configuration; a pocket disposed on thelower end and extending widthwise relative to a longitudinal axis of theplanar member and linearly from one of the sides of the pair of opposingsides to the other side of the pair of opposing sides, the pocketincluding a perimeter edge defining an opening for providing access toan interior volume sized to receive an item therein; the pocketpositioned parallel relative to the upper end and including an area anda height less than an area and a height of the planar member; afastening tether disposed on an upper portion of the rear surface andpositioned parallel relative to the pair of opposing sides of the planarmember, the fastening tether composed of a unitary piece of flexiblematerial including a first end and a second end, the first endprotruding radially outwardly from the upper end; and the fasteningtether including a longitudinal length greater than a longitudinallength of the planar member and a width less than a width of the planarmember. 2) The storage pouch of claim 1, wherein the upper end and thepair of sides include a hemmed edge. 3) The storage pouch of claim 1,wherein the first region, the second region, and the central region areequal in area. 4) The storage pouch of claim 1, wherein the pocketincludes a height less than half the height of the planar member. 5) Thestorage pouch of claim 1, wherein the fastening tether is pivotallyconnected to the upper portion via a rivet. 6) The storage pouch ofclaim 1, wherein the fastening tether comprises a ribbon. 7) The storagepouch of claim 1, wherein the planar member comprises a first fabricmember including a perimeter edge and a second fabric member including aperimeter edge, the first fabric member and the second fabric memberaligned and joined together at their respective perimeter edges. 8) Thestorage pouch of claim 7, wherein the first fabric member and the secondfabric members are composed of a quilted fabric. 9) The storage pouch ofclaim 1, wherein in the folded configuration the lower end is configuredto fold radially inwardly along a longitudinal length of the centralregion towards the upper end into a closed configuration. 10) Thestorage pouch of claim 9, wherein in the closed configuration the firstend and the second end of the fastening tether are configured to wraparound the planar member and be fastened to one another to secure theplanar member in a fastened configuration.